The Alliance Bride
by SNBRADY
Summary: Sgt. Bates gets more than he bargined for during a trading mission. Rating will go up in later Chapters, for violence and other things.
1. The Importance of Fine Print

The Alliance Bride

Stargate Atlantis

By: SNBRADY

Summary: Sgt. Bates gets more than he bargined for during a trade aggrement

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters. I do own Mili, Jordan and Stevens.

Pairings: Bates/OC

The Importance of Fine Print

AG-2 walked through the rippling puddle that made up the surface of the active wormhole in the gate room of Atlantis; the four members consist of Sgt. Christopher Bates, Lt. Samuel Jordan, Dr. Michael Corrigan and Dr. William Stevens. They are quickly followed by a young woman in her early twenties, she is rather beautiful, with long dark wavy brown hair and deep almost midnight blue eyes.

As the team reaches the bottom of the steps they are greeted by Dr. Elizabeth Weir, "welcome back… who is this?"

Dr. Corrigan the teams archeologist is the first to speak up, "we had sort of a cultural mishap, this is Princess Mili…apparently she is Sgt. Bates… wife."

Elizabeth's mouth falls open in shock, turning her attention to Sgt. Bates, "she's your what!"

Bates eyes close in frustration, before he looks Dr. Weir in the eye, "well apparently someone," glancing annoyedly over at Corrigan, "didn't read the trade agreement correctly and part of the finalization process for trade agreements is that a marriage happens between the two parties."

Dr. Weir just simply blinks for a few moments, "how did you miss a wedding?"

Dr. Corrigan speaks up again, "they don't have weddings in the sense we do, their marriages are made normally for political reasons rather than for love, once the agreement was signed they were married."

Dr. Weir looks at the young woman standing behind the men, she looks really scared and nervous, and obviously in a bit of shock Dr. Weir can't help but feel sorry for her, "Lt. Jordan would you and Dr. Stevens please escort our guest to the infirmary to be looked over by Dr. Beckett," the two men simply nod and show the princess out of the gate room, after they are gone Elizabeth turns back to the two men still standing on the steps, "now would someone like to explain exactly how this happened?"

Mili felt completely out of place in the city of the ancestors, the huge buildings and wide corridors it was unlike anything she had ever seen in her entire life. Dr. Stevens and Lt. Jordan had yet to say anything to her except for the simple directions that lead them to a set of transparent doors. Mili watched with fascination as Dr. Stevens moved his hand over a panel next to the door and they whooshed open right in front of her. The two men seemed amused by her expression since they smiled as they pulled her into the room only to have the doors close all by themselves after they were inside she couldn't help but say, "that is amazing," Mili turned to Dr. Stevens who seemed to know much about this technology, "how do they work?"

Stevens smiles at her curiosity, "it's complicated I'll explain later."

Just then a man with dark brown hair and blue eyes approaches them, "Lt. Jordan and Dr. Stevens good to see you back and in one piece," he says with an accent different from the others and then turns his attention to Mili and asks with a smile, "and who would this lovely lass be then?"

Mili feels an uneasy smile come to her lips, "I'm Mili," she answers holding her head up high trying to show that she is brave, even if she isn't really feeling so brave.

The man's smile grows even bigger, "well then it's nice to meet you then Mili… I'm Dr. Beckett."

Mili felt some of her uneasiness settle at the kindness that everyone was showing her, remembering her manners, "it is an honor to meet you Dr. Beckett."

Dr. Stevens places a hand on Mili's shoulder and says, "Mili if you could go and have a seat on that bed, we need to speak to Dr. Beckett for a few minutes."

Mili turns giving Dr. Stevens a slight smile, "of course," she made her way to the bed as Dr. Stevens, Lt. Jordan and Dr. Beckett retreat into a room off of the main room with all of the beds.

Mili could hear a muffled conversation coming from the room but she couldn't make out what they were saying but then again she didn't have to she knew they were talking about her and the situation of her marriage to Sgt. Bates. The marriage seemed to have everyone completely taken by surprise from the little that Dr. Corrigan, or Mike as he had asked her to call him, had said arranged marriages among their people was almost unheard of so they were sort of taken aback by the custom. It seemed that no one was more surprised by the situation than her own husband, when he found out about their marriage he had become very angry, he even threatened to kill Dr. Corrigan for not realizing that part of the trade agreement was that he marry her.

The first time Mili had seen Sgt. Bates she had almost felt relived, some of her sisters had been married as alliance brides to men who were more than twice their age and were fat and ugly, but this Sgt. Bates was young and handsome. Unfortunately the feeling of relief had been fleeting when at their initial meeting he had barely looked at her much less spoken to her, in fact he seemed cold and distant, and when they left to come to Atlantis he seemed annoyed and angry with her, it was at that moment that she wished she had been given to someone who was kind and gentle even if he was not the most young or handsome. Although when she thought about it she guessed it was better than a man who was both ugly and mean, as she had seen some of her sisters married to for the sake of one of her father's alliances. Mili had already resolved herself to the fact that as an alliance bride she would live a life of loneliness, but she had at least expected her husband to acknowledge her existence.

She was now feeling a little scared of what her first night with her husband would be like, she had heard stories of some of her sisters being basically raped by their new husbands and that usually those husbands only regarded their wives as nothing more than a bed warmer and a barer of children rather than an equal. Fear was now pulling at her mind was Sgt. Bates like that would he even care that she was funny and intelligent or would he see her as nothing than a soft place to put his…, before she could continue her thought she heard Dr. Beckett approach the bed she was sitting on.

Dr. Beckett smiled at her with one of his kind smiles, "Mili are you feeling alright?"

She gives him a brave smile, "yes I am fine Dr. Beckett, thank you."

Dr. Stevens comes up to stand next to the bed and says, "Dr. Beckett is a… healer, he is going to check you over just to make sure that you are healthy, ok"

Mili gives a small smile at the men, "of course that will be fine," with that the physical began.

Meanwhile in the Atlantis briefing room Sgt. Bates and Dr. Corrigan are trying to explain what happened on Genar.

"Dr. Weir this is as much a surprise to me as it is to you," says Bates, "we sign the agreement thinking it's just a simple alliance then all of a sudden the king says that my… wife… would be waiting for me by the gate since we were leaving right away."

Elizabeth just blinks, "why didn't you just tell them that this is not our way?"

Dr. Corrigan speaks up this time, "apparently they won't make an alliance without a marriage."

Weir looks at Bates, "pardon me but Sergeant you don't seem like the kind of man who would agree to a marriage to someone you don't know just for the sake of an alliance, even if we were desperate."

Bates breaths out a frustrated sigh, "no ma'am I'm not but like I said before the agreement had already been signed when we found out about the little clause."

Weir looks really confused now, "then why not just tell them the deal was off, since you didn't want to be married against your will."

Bates closes his eyes, shaking his head for a moment, "apparently it doesn't work that way, if I were to refuse her after the agreement was signed, she would be shamed and banished from their village, forced to live all alone for the rest of her life… as much as I may dislike the situation I couldn't see my leaving her there like that… it would have been wrong."

Dr. Weir looks back to Dr. Corrigan, "what about this princess, what is she like?... how old is she even?"

Dr. Corrigan regards the question for a few moments, "she's twenty-three and she seems to be quite agreeable, also very intelligent. Something totally fascinating about her culture, apparently the royal family on Genar have kept the tradition of reading Ancient or the writings of the ancestors as she put it. Mili was a great help to me when I was inspecting the ruins on the planet, also, she could be an asset to us in the future on trading missions, since she told me she has a lot of diplomatic experience with other trading planets and she's related to many of their higher up officials through past alliances and on the upside they seem to be a relatively advanced culture, with a good size military. In my opinion there are a lot of advantages to allying ourselves with them."

Dr. Weir weighed what Dr. Corrigan had just told her about the young woman she had only just met, "so you think she would be a good addition to the linguistics department and as a diplomat on future missions."

Dr. Corrigan answered her promptly, "yes ma'am I do and I'd like to have permission to start compiling some gate addresses for different planets that she feels could supply different services for our current needs."

Weir nods, "I think that would be a good idea," Weir looks at Sgt. Bates who is currently lost in his own thoughts and then back to Corrigan, "Doctor why don't you head down to the infirmary and get checked over by Dr. Beckett and afterward I would like you and the princess to begin working on those addresses as soon as possible," Dr. Corrigan and Sgt. Bates stand to leave but Dr. Weir says, "Sergeant would you stay for a few minutes?"

Bates turns around to sit back down but Corrigan grabs him by the arm, "hey Bates it could be a lot worse, she could be ugly and stupid… don't worry everything will work out."

Bates gives him a half smile, "thanks Mike but I think I'm still in shock; marrying a woman I know nothing about is definitely not how I imagined it." Corrigan gives him an encouraging smile before making his way out the door.

Sgt. Bates sits back down at the table and looks at Dr. Weir who asks him, "well Sergeant what do you want to do about the young woman, since it would seem that as far as she is concerned she is your wife."

Bates nods, "I know this situation is unusual, Dr. Weir but I just didn't see any other choice but to bring her with us and like Dr. Corrigan said it looks like she will become an asset… but I think the first order of business is to get her settled into quarters." Weir arches an eyebrow at him, "not mine ma'am… I have no intention of taking advantage of that girl just because some piece of paper says we're married, she shouldn't be forced into anything she doesn't want out of some misplaced sense of obligation."

Dr. Weir regards him thoughtfully, she always knew that Sgt. Bates tried to be a gentleman but the sincerity he showed at this subject was refreshing. He didn't even really know this woman but he still had such respect for her as a person that he refused to put her in a position that would be awkward even though by all intents and purposes he had every right to her, "very well Sergeant find her some quarters and then the rest is up to you as to how you chose to proceed or not with any kind of relationship with her… you're dismissed and please stop by the infirmary to see Dr. Beckett when your done, thank you."

Dr. Weir watched as Bates left still carrying that worried look he almost always had on his face, 'I'm going to have to have a talk with the linguists about reading the fine print in the future' was all she could think.


	2. Welcome to Atlantis

The Alliance Bride

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters.

Welcome to Atlantis

Sgt. Chris Bates had a headache by the time he reached the infirmary on Atlantis to find it mostly empty, the only people there were Dr. Michael Corrigan who was just finishing up his post mission physical which was being preformed by Dr. Carson Beckett the base CMO. Chris had found quarters for the newest member of the expedition who by all intents and purposes was his wife, the circumstances leading to him suddenly having a wife was the main reason for his current headache, not to mention that he could hear people whispering in the hallways as he passed, 'good God gossip travels fast around this place, we haven't even been back for an hour and I bet over half of the base knows of my new marital status by now,' he thought to himself.

As Chris enters the infirmary he was greeted by a warm smile from the Doc and a playful smirk from Mike his team's resident Linguist/Archeologist.

Dr. Beckett looks at him and tries to sound sincere as he says in that Scottish brogue of his, "I hear that congratulations are in order."

Chris is trying to see the humor in the situation giving the Doc a half smile, "yeah well I wouldn't start breaking out the cigars just yet… I know almost nothing about the woman; this whole thing is probably a disaster just waiting to happen." Chris starts looking around, "speaking of which, where is she?"

Mike takes the opportunity to speak up, "oh Sam and Will took her to the mess hall to get something to eat, I was going to head down there myself when I was done but I'll wait for you."

Fourty-five minutes and 1000mg of Tylenol later Chris and Mike were headed to the mess hall, to hook up with there team mates and apparently with Chris's new wife, 'oh yeah that thought is surreal, I wonder how Dr. Jackson handled being married to a woman he had never met before, to bad he's not here to ask for advice' he thought as he and Mike walked to the mess hall.

Suddenly Mike hits Chris on the arm, "hey look," pointing over to the table where Mili was sitting with Lt. Sam Jordan, Dr. Will Stevens and about half of the Linguists and Archeologists in Atlantis, "I guess word travels fast, we'd probably better get our food and see if Jordan or Mili need rescuing from them."

For a few moments Chris just stood there staring at Mili, their first meeting had been so brief and he had been so upset about the whole marriage situation he hadn't taken the time to really look at her but now he found himself unable to tear his eyes from her, 'my God she **is** beautiful, how did I not notice it before, ah yes I was busy freaking out,' he thinks to himself, suddenly feeling completely panicked at the idea of facing Mili for the first time in such a public place.

Chris looks over at Mike who is currently following his line of sight to Mili, "hey Mike you know what I'm not really that hungry, I think I'll just go make sure that Mili's new quarters are in order… could you bring her there when you're finished eating."

Mike didn't argue with him like Chris had been expecting instead Mike just clapped him on the shoulder, "sure Chris but… you know you're going to have to face her eventually."

Chris looked at his friend solemnly, "I know it's just… I'm not ready yet, I haven't really worked out how I feel about any of this, you understand right."

Mike nods at him, "it's ok man, I'll take care of her for you, don't worry." Chris smiles uneasily, "thanks Mike… I'll see you later,"

Chris glances back at the table for a moment before leaving, Mili seemed to be having an in depth conversation with one of the linguists.

Little did Chris know but Mili had seen him standing by the door of the mess hall talking with Mike, but had been asked a question by one of the linguists and had missed Chris's hasty retreat. When she looked back she saw that neither Mike or Chris were by the door anymore and her eyes went to the food line where she saw Mike but not Chris, 'he left, he's avoiding me, maybe it's for the best I don't know if I could face him yet any way,' she thought to herself.

"Oh can I ask you another question, in your culture do your people trace their lineage through your mother or your fathers line?" said a man across from her, Dr. Suarez she believed he said his name was, it seemed like everyone she was meeting here seemed to be a doctor of something or other, 'doesn't that ever get confusing,' she thought to herself.

Thankfully Mike arrived just at that moment, rescuing Mili from answering yet another question, "hey you guys think you could give the lady some breathing room… besides I'm sure you all have work to be doing."

The other linguists and archeologists grumbled as they stood and said their goodbyes to Mili, she thanked them for the company as they filed away from the table.

Mike took the seat across from her that had just been vacated by Dr. Suarez, Mike looks over at Sam and Will and says, "hey guys why don't you go get cleaned up."

They took the hint that Mike actually wanted to speak with Mili alone for a little while, "sure Mike, bye Mili," "we'll catch you both later" they said as they left.

After they were gone Mili decided to address Mike with a questions of her own, "will my husband not be joining us?" Unfortunately Mike had chosen that moment to put a fork full of food in his mouth that he promptly began choking on slightly, but recovered after a short coughing fit. As he looked up he saw that Mili had a slightly concerned look on her face, "are you alright?" she asked when his coughing subsided.

Mike gave her a slight smile, "yeah I'm fine… no, Chris went back to your quarters to make sure that everything was in order for you."

Mike was curious as he watched Mili's attitude change when she simply said quietly, "oh." They sat there in silence for several minutes while Mike ate, even though a million questions were running through Mili's mind, she was just feeling so nervous.

Finally Mike broke the silence between them, "Chris asked me to take you to your quarters when we're done here."

Mili simply nods her head, nervousness quickly rising in her stomach, 'this is it, I'm about to lie with a man I know nothing about' she thought to herself, but then decided to be bold, if this was going to happen she needed to know something, anything.

"Mike what is he like?… Chris I mean… he hasn't even talked to me yet and I was just wondering," Mili asks trying to sound calm.

Mike gave her a warm smile, "well Chris is a good guy, he can be a little intense though and he's sort of a suspicious person by nature… you see he is the head of security here so everyone's safety is his responsibility and it's one he takes very seriously… I imagine that is one of the reasons he is freaking out so much since your safety is now his responsibility, and yours would be even more important since you are his um… well his wife."

A slight smile creeps to her mouth, "does he have any other wives?"

Mike blinks a few times, "no we don't do that… we only take one spouse… and this situation is highly unusual because we don't have arranged marriages when we marry it is for love."

At that moment the gravity of the situation began to settle in her mind, "he is only allowed to take one wife?" Mike nods to her question, "and he didn't get to choose… why didn't he just break the agreement with my father and go when he still had the chance?"

Mike half smiled at her, "he found out what would have happened to you had he done that, and he just couldn't, like I said he is a good guy and no matter how difficult the decision was he wouldn't leave you there to suffer needlessly."

Mili's breathing had become a little erratic she almost felt like crying, "that was very… noble of him… it does sound like he is a good man, I am glad to know that," the last part coming out in a whisper.

Mike smiles at her, "that is just the way he is, he always seems to keep up appearances that he is the tough military guy and that nothing get to him." A big smile spreads across Mike's face, "I remember this one time we went to a planet to find people to trade with but when we got there they had just been attacked by the wraith a couple of days earlier and most of their crops had been destroyed so we were going to leave since we couldn't trade with them. But, before we left I caught him giving this little kid and his baby sister all of the rations he had on him and when I asked he just says 'I'm not that hungry', it was then that I realized there was a lot more to him than just Sgt. Bates, there was a genuinely nice person under the soldier, that's when we started to become friends. Don't be surprised if it takes him a while to show you that side of himself, you'll have to be patient with him… he'll come around eventually."

Mili felt better now that she had spoken with Mike, no matter what he showed on the outside, it sounded like her husband was actually a very honorable and kind and she was looking forward to getting to know him.

Mike finished up his food quickly and then took Mili to her quarters, he let her palm open the door herself, "fun, huh," Mike said when he saw the huge smile on her face when the door swished open.

"It is most amazing this technology, I can't wait to learn more about it," Mili said enthusiastically as she stepped inside of the quarters, followed shortly by Mike.

The quarters weren't anything fancy they were pretty much like every other set of quarters on Atlantis. There was a full size bed, a set of drawers, a bathroom and a small couch with a low-lying table in front of it. However, Mike did notice a few things that were very different from other quarters on the little table a few candles had been placed there and on the dresser there was a small potted flowering plant adding color to the otherwise bland room, 'wow Bates knows how to decorate, even when there is almost nothing to work with.'

The sound of Mili's voice snapped Mike out of his current train of thought, "so these are to be my quarters," Mike nods, "will Chris be living here with me as well?" she asks.

Mike felt a little surprised by her question, "oh no… um actually he thought it would be better for the two of you to get to know each other before you… you know…" Mike trailed off hoping she would understand and he wouldn't have to elaborate, but by the blush that stained her cheeks he was sure that he wouldn't.

Mili was definitely beginning to like this man who had so suddenly become her husband, it would seem that he was even more honorable than she had thought. He didn't want to lie with her until they had a chance to know each other, even though he had every right to her. From what Mike had told her she felt as though she could love this man if only he would stop avoiding her, but only time would tell.

Mike decided to change the subject noticing that there were a couple of sets of uniforms on the bed they were the color of a deep blue indicating members of the linguistics department, he couldn't help but think that the color would also enhance the deep blue color of Mili's eyes, just a happy coincidence.

"Well it looks like your official," Mike said making Mili look at him confused, "I mean the uniforms on the bed… you see the blue color indicates someone in the linguistics department. Dr. Weir and I discussed it and we decided that you would be a good addition… actually I needed to speak to you about putting together a list of gate addresses for potential trading partners that you feel you may have some influence with."

Mili looked at him with a small smile, "of course, where would you like to start?"

Almost two hours later Mike finally left Mili's quarters with a rather long list of planets and a new found appreciation for the complication of Mili's rather large family circle. Before he left he also gave her a crash course in how to operate the plumbing in her bathroom.

After a stop at his own quarters to partake in the ritual of bathing himself and putting on a clean uniform Mike headed to the control room to compare the list of planets that Mili had given him to ones that they had visited before.


	3. Eavesdropping and Revelations

The Alliance Bride

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters.

Eavesdropping and Revelations

It had been nearly a week since the incident on Genar that left Sgt. Chris Bates unceremoniously married to Princess Mili, and he had yet to talk to her. The truth was he didn't know what to say, their courtship had pretty much been along the lines of 'now that your finished signing that piece of paper, here is a lovely young woman who is now your wife, hope you two are happy together,' it's not suppose to work that way. In many ways he was thankful that she had decided to give him the chance to come to her in his own time.

Chris felt completely inadequate, from what he had heard that not only was his wife beautiful but also extremely intelligent. Chris had tossed and turned all night trying to think of how he should approach Mili, but every time he thought about it his throat felt like it would close up. Worst of all it almost seemed impossible for him to imagine that under normal circumstances she would even give someone like him a second look. Chris had never considered himself to be unintelligent or unattractive, but he knew what he was, a soldier, he wasn't a diplomat or a scholar like it seemed that Mili was, and he certainly wasn't a prince but here he was married to a princess. Chris imagined that lots of guys fantasized about marrying a beautiful princess, but right now he just wished he were married to someone that he loved.

Chris had been raised in a house where when you got married it was for life, in fact he couldn't even remember anyone in his family divorcing, except for his mother's sister but her husband had been a drinker and hit her a lot. Even with all that his aunt had stuck it out for years until her husband finally landed her in the hospital with more than a few broken bones. Chris had been a teenager at the time so he knew what was going on, and he couldn't even imagine his father treating his mother that way, for as long as he could remember they had always been crazy about each other.

Chris's parents married young, barely eighteen when they decided to elope because his mother's family thought they were just to young to get married but even now almost thirty-five years later they were still in love. Chris had always hoped that one day he would find someone who he would be just as crazy about and he'd marry her and they'd be together for the rest of their lives. Now it seemed that he wouldn't ever have that chance, weather he liked it or not he was married, so he guessed he had better just get used to the idea and get to know his wife.

Pulling himself out of bed that morning had been difficult not only because of the lack of sleep from all the tossing and turning he'd done in the past week but because he had resolved to talk to Mili today. No matter how this marriage started he was going to try an make the best of it, but first he was going to pay a little visit to Mike and try to gather some moral support.

As surprising as it may seem the nerdy archeologist had become one of his closest friends here on Atlantis, he guessed fighting side by side will bind even the most opposite of people together. It did however take quite a while for them to warm up to each other they had been on AG-3 together for more than a year before they became comfortable enough around each other to use their first names. Also, Mike had been spending a lot of time around Mili since she was working with the linguistics department; from what he had heard Mili's Ancient was better than Mikes and that little revelation was pretty amusing he had to admit.

Unfortunately when Chris approached the lab that Mike and some of the other linguists were using he heard voices inside one of them he immediately recognized as Mike's, the other he couldn't quite place it had an unusual lilt to it but it clearly was feminine.

The door was open so Chris poked his head in and opened his mouth to get Mike's attention, but quickly snapped it closed when he recognized the woman sitting across the desk from Mike, 'oh God it's Mili.' Chris quickly ducked back behind the door and pressing his back against the wall, his heart was pounding hard in his chest and he had already broken out in a cold sweat. 'Oh crap how am I going to do this I can't even see the woman without feeling completely overwhelmed,' Chris thought to himself.

He was about to run as far away as he could just to escape this feeling, when his ears finally registered the question that Mike had just asked Mili, "has he talked to you, yet?"

There was a short pause followed by a very irritated sounding, "no."

Mike couldn't help but smile a little at how annoyed Mili looked, "don't worry it's only been a week, I wouldn't be surprised if it takes him a while… I'm not sure but I think that Chris has a hard time talking to women."

Mili just glared at him, "I'm not women, I'm his wife." At this statement Mike started sniggering, making Mili look even more annoyed, "you find this amusing do you?"

Mike breaks into an all out laugh at her quip, "it's, it's just… well yeah the man could face down a hoard of pissed off wraith with nothing more than a field knife and appear fearless doing it; however, it would seem that he can't get up enough courage to talk to his own wife." One of the corners of Mili's mouth turned up, unfortunately Mike noticed, "see I knew you'd think it was funny too."

Now Mili couldn't contain her smile, "it's not that… it just reminds me of my older brother, he was the same way. To look at him you'd think he was this fearless warrior but try and put him in a social situation with a woman and he'd turn all nervous and twitchy… it was endearing really, but then he started not speaking at all trying to make everyone think he was only what he thought they wanted to see…a warrior. Thankfully when he was married it was to a very lovely woman, who was also a close friend of mine, was able to see past his act, that under the rough exterior there was a truly kind and wonderful person… lurking." Mili expression became thoughtful, "you know all the stories you have told me of Chris it sounds like they are very much alike and I can only hope that one day he will let me see that part of himself."

Mike could see from the shining of her eyes that she was hurting and then she said something that completely took him by surprise, "you know my entire life I knew that I would be married to someone I didn't love and that my life would most likely be lonely, but I want to thank you for giving me hope that one day there may be more for me than that life … you're a good friend."

Mike saw a tear start to roll down her cheek and trying to cheer her up a little, he decided to say sarcastically, "I know."

His plan seemed to work when Mili's lips curled into a smile and she responded just as sarcastically, "and you're so modest about it too."

However, then even more tears began to spill from Mili's eyes, for a few helpless moments Mike just sat there trying to think of something to say to make her feel better but he knew that there was only one person on Atlantis who could completely put her fears to rest and he as of late was being an idiot.

So Mike just got up and came around the desk and put his arms around Mili, "shh, don't worry everything is going to be alright." Mike let her cry as much as she needed to but he also thought to himself, 'I think I need to pay a little visit to one Sgt. Christopher Bates and tell him just how much of a schmuck I think he was being at the moment.'

Outside the door Chris had stood there listening as Mike and Mili had been talking, he had felt hopeful when he found out that she really wanted them to get to know each other, but right now he was just feeling like an ass. He could hear the soft sobs coming from Mili inside the next room and he felt awful that he was the reason that she was so upset. Chris knew he couldn't face her like this now, he couldn't look her in the eyes and see pain there and know he had put it there. 'I will talk to her tonight when we can be alone,' he resolved in his mind, 'and I am going to make this work.'

Chris walked away from the room as he heard the crying subside and Mike began to encourage her to concentrate on work for a little while, get her mind on something else. As he walked away Chris couldn't help thinking that he was actually looking forward to getting to know Mili and feeling that maybe the only thing he had to offer her now was the only thing she wanted from him, his love, he could only hope to she would give him hers in return.

A few hours after Chris's little eavesdropping session he came out of the briefing room, having just finished up a briefing with AG-3, to find that Mike was waiting in his office.

Chris stepped inside letting the door close behind him; he could only guess that Mike was there to talk about Mili, so he decided to get to the point "Mike is there something you needed?"

Mike just looked at Chris and feeling that they were close enough as friends that he could be completely honest with Chris, "yeah there is something that I need… for you to take your head out of your ass."

Chris just stood there regarding his friend quietly before he answered him, "I assume this is about Mili, and for once I agree with you."

Mike's brain didn't register completely what Chris had just said because he starts to say angrily, "your damn right this is about Mili, I mean she is… what?"

Chris couldn't help but smile at the look of confusion written all over Mike's face, "I agree with you, and I have every intention of going to speak with her today."

Chris took the opportunity of Mike's confusion to sit down at his desk, he watched as Mike sat down heavily in the chair across the desk from him looking completely shocked, "hey Mike you ok?" Chris asks.

"I just can't believe you agreed with me?" Mike says breaking into a smile.

Chris smiles back, "yeah well miracles happen sometimes," he says sarcastically.

Mike doesn't completely lose his smile when he addresses Chris again, "she's pretty fantastic you know?"

Letting out a sigh Chris says, "actually I don't… but I'm going to try and find out."

Mike is feeling kind of sorry for Chris, he knows this situation can't be easy on him, "hey man don't worry, I know your going to like her when you get to know each other and she really wants to get to know you, just stop ignoring her."

Swallowing hard Chris says, "it's not the liking part that I'm worried about… I always imagined that when I got married it would be to someone that I loved… this is just all so foreign to me."

Mike snorts a little, "I wouldn't worry about it, she seems like an easy person to love, I mean look at me I've only known her for a week and I'm already crazy about her."

Chris narrows his eyes at the Archeologist, "Mike, please tell me you don't have the hots for my wife."

Mike regarded his friend thoughtfully for a moment, "you know Chris I've always considered you to be a pretty observant guy but there are certain things you seem oblivious to… dude I'm gay."

Chris just blinks at Mike a few times, "humm…" regarding his friend questioningly Chris says, "alright let me rephrase that please tell me, you don't have the hots for me."

Mike bursts out laughing at Chris's statement, when he'd finally settles, he says, "you took that well, and NO… though granted you are a cute piece of man meat." Mike smirks at the obvious discomfort written on Chris's face at the description of him, "don't worry man you are so not even my type and besides… I'm already with someone."

Chris looks at him slightly amused, "as for the taking it well, I kind of suspected and who?"

Mike laughed deviously as he stands up, "you know I think you've been hit with enough aneurysm inducing revelations for one day… I think I'll save that one for another time."

Mike walked to the door when, Chris suddenly says, "hey does Will know? … I mean you guys always share a tent when we're off world."

Mike stops and turns around with a pointed smirk on his face, "you said you'd talk to Mili today and I'm going to hold you to that ok, I'll see you later," with that Mike walked out, leaving Chris to draw his own conclusions.

Mike laughed to himself as he was walking away from the office, when he heard Chris exclaim, "are you kidding me?"

Chris just sat there trying to wrap his head around all of the things he had learned today, the wife that he had never spoken to as of yet wants to get to know him as much as he wants to know her, one of his closest friends and teammate is gay and it would seem that if he wasn't completely losing his mind that his other friend and teammate is as well and they were seeing each other. 'My head hurts again,' was all Chris could think at the moment.

Reviews:

Lady Valmar: Thanks for the compliment I'm glad you like the change of pace.

Purple Yin: Also, happy that you are enjoying the story and I totally agree that I need a beta, if there are any volunteers out there.

The inspiration for this story came after I took an anthropology course and studyed how different some cultures really are from our own. I'll go into that more in later chapters, when Chris starts to learn more about Mili's customs.


	4. Fate

The Alliance Bride

By: SNBRADY

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate: Atlantis, I just like to write about it.

Fate

Chris could feel the tight knot in his stomach as he stood at the door to Mili's quarters; he'd been there for almost fifteen minutes trying to think of what he is going to say when he finally rings the chime on her door. He knows that no matter what comes of it, he needs to talk to her even if it's only for the sake of his own sanity as Head of Security.

Taking in a deep breath Chris finally places his hand over the chime on Mili's door. Within moments the door slid open in front of him and the sight that greeted him made Chris's breath catch. Mili was wearing a sparing outfit similar to those he'd seen Teyla in, a long skirt with slits up either side so that her legs could move freely and a tight halter style top that hugged its way down her body and stopped just past the top of her skirt. However, the alluring apparel was not the reason for the change in Chris's breathing; Mili's bottom lip is split and slightly bruised.

"What happened to you?" Chris asks quickly coming into Mili's quarters, without even thinking, he takes her chin in his hand to get a closer look at her injury.

Chris finds himself looking down into a pair of very surprised deep blue eyes, "it's nothing to worry about, I was sparring earlier and I went right when I should have gone left."

Straightening up while he clears his throat, and awkwardly removes his hand from Mili's chin, Chris says, "I hope you saw Dr. Beckett about it."

Mili tries to smile at Chris only to wince in pain, "yes but only because Teyla made me, it's really nothing to make a fuss over, I've had much worse."

Chris suddenly felt his anger flare up, "Teyla did this to you?"

Mili must have been able to tell that Chris was ready to walk out and confront Teyla about hurting her, because she grabs his arm, "it truly was an accident, she is very good and I was overconfident."

He looks into her eyes trying to detect if she is being anything but truthful but he doesn't see any deception in them, "alright then… I actually came here because I wanted to speak with you."

She gives him a little smile careful not to hurt herself again, "then would you like to sit down?"

Chris nods and Mili leads him over to the small grey couch in the corner. For the first time since he's entered Chris looks around the room, Mili has added little things to it. She's hung sheer deep burgundy color curtains over the windows, there are some small pieces of pottery on her dresser next to the little plant that Chris had placed there on the first day Mili arrived and the same candles he'd also brought where still on the table.

They sit in silence for several moments, before he finally looks at her, "I'll be honest I'm not really sure where to start."

Mili closes her eyes as she pulls in a deep breath, and then opens them again, "than I'll start… I'm sorry."

There is such sorrow in her eyes that it shocks him, "this isn't your fault, it's no ones fault… well maybe Mikes a little," unfortunately Mili smiles when he says that, and he sees that it hurt, "sorry I guess I shouldn't try to be funny for a few days."

Mili pulls her hand away from her lip, this time she only has a slight smile, "it's alright, I'm just glad you came to see me."

"I'm sorry it took so long," Chris says softly.

"No I understand, I have had my entire life to get used to the idea that I would be married to a stranger, but I imagine this must be very difficult for you," Chris looks into her eyes as she is speaking and they have such kindness in them, that he can't help the little smile that alights onto his lips.

"I'll admit this was not a situation I ever imagined myself in; however, I did sort of choose this. You're the one I should feel sorry for since you didn't have a choice," Chris says trying to convey his compassion for her situation but then he adds a little angrily, "I mean how could your father just give you away to the first guy that comes along with something he wants, it's just so… I can't even think of a word to describe how horrible I think that is."

"Actually I did have a choice in a way, even though I was the next to be married if I had truly not wished to become your wife one of my other sisters would have taken my place," Mili says in an effort to help Chris understand.

"Then you chose to be my wife," he says questioningly, before a little smile comes to his mouth.

Mili looks down at her hands, feeling her cheeks heat up because of the true reason that she chosen to be Chris's wife, "yes," she says in a weak voice.

She'd never lied to herself about her motives; the truth was she was unbelievably attracted to Chris from the very first moment she'd laid eyes on him. He was more than she'd ever dared to dream of in a husband. Even though she had heard many conflicting things about what Chris was like, she was inclined to listen to Mike, since he seemed to know Chris the best.

"I'm glad you had some choice, that's a big weight off my shoulders," the relief in his voice makes Mili look up at him questioningly, "you see up until about 150 years ago on Earth my people were in slavery and that's how I saw what was happening to you… it just didn't sit well with me."

"I'm sorry I did not know but you must understand among my people to be an alliance bride is considered a great honor and responsibility," Mili tells him firmly.

"Responsibility," Chris asks questioningly.

Mili tilts her head to the side, choosing her words carefully, "the reason my people have alliance brides is so that we are all interconnected, if a world we're an alliance bride is living is attacked by the wraith or in need of some other kind of assistance we're honor bound to lend whatever assistance we can. That is the reason Dr. Weir wants me to start going on diplomatic missions once she feels I am ready, because I can get you into places that would have been shut to your people before… my people have a belief that nothing ever happens without reason. Your people have an ambition to rid this galaxy of the Wraith and from what I've seen the best chance any of us could hope for to actually accomplish that goal, perhaps helping your people is the reason fate has sent me here," looking back down at her hands again she adds quietly, "I just hope that it is not the only reason."

Chris had never truly believed in coincidence himself, to many times in his life he'd simply been in the right place at the right time. The most resent example he could think of was this morning when he'd arrived at Mike's lab just as he and Mili were talking about hers and Chris's relationship, or lack there of.

'Not the only reason,' Mili's words settle into his mind, and it finally hits him that she doesn't want to be alone any more than he does. If he is honest with himself he has been lonely since coming to Atlantis, but is he fooling himself into thinking that he can trust her already, he still doesn't really know anything about her and easing that loneliness isn't reason enough to put Atlantis in danger.

Taking in a deep breath, Chris says, "well I know the reason that I am here, at this very moment and that is so that I can get to know you."

Mili looks up at him with a little smile, that makes Chris's heart skip a beat, "what would you like to know?"

Reviews:

Dr. Dredd: You're funny; his goodness is not way, way down. The way I see him he's just really dedicated to his job, I mean come on the safety of the entire city is his responsibility, which has to be very stressful.

PurpleYin: I know you think that her having a brother that's sort of like Chris is iffy; however, the next chapter will clear up a lot of questions as to why and I'm going to discuss more of their cultural differences as well. Hope you like the part about her belief system. Anthropology ROCKS!

Author note: Don't think that the thing with Mili's lip was in there just to have a reason for Chris to start to feel something for her, I'm actually writing her character as a sort of accident prone person. Which is ironic because she doesn't believe any thing happens by accident.


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